I think I just discovered a way to apply overlapping conditions in the expected way using VBA. After hours of trying out different approaches I found that what worked was changing the "Applies to" range for the conditional format rule, after every single one was created!
This is my working example:
Sub ResetFormatting()
' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Written by..: Julius Getz Mørk
' Purpose.....: If conditional formatting ranges are broken it might cause a huge increase
' in duplicated formatting rules that in turn will significantly slow down
' the spreadsheet.
' This macro is designed to reset all formatting rules to default.
' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
' Make sure we are positioned in the correct sheet
WS_PROMO.Select
' Disable Events
Application.EnableEvents = False
' Delete all conditional formatting rules in sheet
Cells.FormatConditions.Delete
' CREATE ALL THE CONDITIONAL FORMATTING RULES:
' (1) Make negative values red
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlLess, "=0")
.Font.Color = -16776961
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (2) Highlight defined good margin as green values
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlGreater, "=CP_HIGH_MARGIN_DEFINITION")
.Font.Color = -16744448
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (3) Make article strategy "D" red
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlEqual, "=""D""")
.Font.Bold = True
.Font.Color = -16776961
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (4) Make article strategy "A" blue
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlEqual, "=""A""")
.Font.Bold = True
.Font.Color = -10092544
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (5) Make article strategy "W" green
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlEqual, "=""W""")
.Font.Bold = True
.Font.Color = -16744448
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (6) Show special cost in bold green font
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(xlCellValue, xlNotEqual, "=0")
.Font.Bold = True
.Font.Color = -16744448
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (7) Highlight duplicate heading names. There can be none.
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.AddUniqueValues
.DupeUnique = xlDuplicate
.Font.Color = -16383844
.Interior.Color = 13551615
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' (8) Make heading rows bold with yellow background
With Cells(1, 1).FormatConditions.add(Type:=xlExpression, Formula1:="=IF($B8=""H"";TRUE;FALSE)")
.Font.Bold = True
.Interior.Color = 13434879
.StopIfTrue = False
End With
' Modify the "Applies To" ranges
Cells.FormatConditions(1).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("O8:P507")
Cells.FormatConditions(2).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("O8:O507")
Cells.FormatConditions(3).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("B8:B507")
Cells.FormatConditions(4).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("B8:B507")
Cells.FormatConditions(5).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("B8:B507")
Cells.FormatConditions(6).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("E8:E507")
Cells.FormatConditions(7).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("A7:AE7")
Cells.FormatConditions(8).ModifyAppliesToRange Range("B8:L507")
ErrHandler:
Application.EnableEvents = False
End Sub